Gherla Citadel
The Gherla citadel was built by Domenico of Bologna, on the order of the Oradea episcope Gheorghe Martinuzzi, between 1540-1551, on the right shore of Somesul Mic, close to Gherla village, which is now a municipal. The citadel is surrounded by a ditch with water, having the form of a quadrangle with defending bastions on the corners, surrounded by 3-4 meters walls, was built from the ruins of Ungurasului Citadel. The first documentary mention s dating from 1291, when it appears with the name of Ghelahida. In the 17th and 18th centuries there were colonized Armens in Gherla and the town became an important handicraft centre. In 1700 there was founded the town, being applied the pre-established plan of it, that was brought from Rome by Oxendius Varzarescu.
The citadel was in the possession of many nobles families , including the priciples of Transylvania Sigismund Báthory and Gheorghe Rákóczi the 2nd, so that it became pricier residence.
On the beginning of the 17th century it loses its strategical importance, and in 20th of October 1785 the emperor Iosif the 2nd transformed it in a central prison for Transylvania. In 1913 it was transformed into an institute of prevention for minors and during communism it worked as political prison between 1945-1964. In 1989 it became maximum security prison.
The definitive abandonment of the citadel happened durin the Curuti War, leaded by Francisc Rákóczi the second, at the beginning of the 18th century, when after a siege, the deposit exploded because of the gun powder.
